


Protector

by kristsune



Category: Good Omens (TV)
Genre: BAMF Aziraphale (Good Omens), Flashbacks, M/M, Mild Blood, angels dont bleed like we do, aziraphale is reminded of old war wounds, but it is there, but not really, just because he doesn't want to kill doesn't mean he won't protect, protector aziraphale, the pairing is only hinted at, to his time in The First War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-13
Updated: 2019-07-13
Packaged: 2020-06-27 15:32:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19793812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kristsune/pseuds/kristsune
Summary: Aziraphale has some unpleasant flashbacks after he gets discorporeated, but it helps strengthen his reserve.





	Protector

**Author's Note:**

> This is 100% inspired by this post which i just felt the need to write. I love protector!Az.  
> Thank you to [Jesse](https://thebisexualmandalorian.tumblr.com/) for all their help and encouragement <3

Aziraphale stumbled as he landed in heaven, the re-entry was harder than he remembered it being. He was attempting to reorient himself when he heard a shout behind him.

“You! You’re late.”

He spun quickly, facing the angel who was talking to him, but when he took his first step towards the voice as he answered, there was a searing pain that shot up his leg. 

_ Oh _ . Oh he had quite forgotten about that.

The wound he received in the war. The First War. 

He had used the flaming sword he had been given against the Enemy, but he had only in defence, to protect and guard. Not allowing the demons to break the line, to hurt his fellow angels. But he couldn’t bring himself to actually destroy another being, no matter that they were an agent of Hell. 

Aziraphale remembered the moment vividly when he had been given a choice. Destroy, or die. He had been locked in combat with a particularly vicious demon, he had knocked them down, and was in a position to cut them down for good. But he hesitated, just the thought of ending the existence of another entity, good  _ or _ evil, went completely against his very being, and he just  _ couldn’t _ land that killing blow. 

Unfortunately his hesitation cost him dearly. The demon was able to pick up his wicked looking spear and thrust it into the middle of Aziraphale’s thigh. 

A common misconception was that just because angels were noncorporeal, they didn’t feel anything; didn’t feel pain, couldn’t be harmed. 

They were wrong. So, very wrong.

The pain that radiated from the spear was intense, and all encompassing. Now that it was stuck in his leg, he could get a closer look at it, and he could see all the small, sharp barbs and hooks keeping it in place, not to mention the evil runes twined around it, giving it the ability to inflict as much damage as possible. 

The only reason the demon hadn’t ripped the spear out and delivered their own killing blow, was because they had been dispatched by another passing angel -  Briathos if he was not mistaken - before they could. And where he was relieved not to be erased from existence, he still couldn’t help but feel that pang at the loss of life, of creation, destroyed forever, even if not by his own hand. 

Aziraphale didn’t remember all of what happened after that. Just random flashes. He remembered breaking the end off the spear so he could walk, but not removing it for fear of increasing the damage. He remembered the slick feeling of golden ichor dripping down his leg, making every step more slippery and dangerous than it already had been. He remembered both sides retreating, too evenly matched, unable to gain on the other. 

Then he remembered the spear being  _ ripped _ from his thigh. The pain was even more excruciating coming out than going in. It had healed in time, as much as an angel’s noncorporeal form needed to, but the pain never fully went away. Whether is was a result of the placement of the wound, or whatever runes had been on the spear had instilled a lasting pain, Aziraphale never found out. He just remembered the  _ ache _ that never dissipated. 

It lasted until he was given a flesh and blood body, to guard the Eastern Gate. There had been a ghost of the pain at first, but had lessened when he had given away the flaming sword to Adam and Eve. And, though he hadn’t thought about it at the time, but certainly had after the fact; he couldn’t remember feeling any pain in his leg after a certain snake slithered into his life. 

All of that had flashed through his mind during the conversation with quartermaster, but when he called Aziraphale a _ pathetic excuse for an angel _ something finally clicked. He  _ was _ a poor excuse for an angel. Couldn’t fight - never could - never  _ wanted _ to. And he preferred all those messy, human comforts, he preferred that over the near constant pain that was his noncorporeal form. And he found he didn’t care. He was not going to fight for them, not this time. 

He  _ would _ fight for one person though. Perhaps not to kill or destroy, but to protect… yes, Aziraphale would do just about anything to protect him. Him, and the humanity they both cared for so deeply. Yes, he could do that, even if he risked Falling, he would do that, for him. 

**Author's Note:**

> In looking at angel names, i found: Briathos – name of an angel who thwarts demons. It was too good not to use. 
> 
> Feel free to stop by and say hi over on [tumblr!](https://kristsune.tumblr.com/)


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